4 clever ways to get surveys in front of prospects and customers

Sarah Sharifi2 min read

Is this you—frequently surveying prospects and customers to get valuable insights that drive the business forward? Then you’re probably looking to engage survey takers in ways that increase response rates.

We’ve got you covered. We compiled a few clever ways to get surveys in front of the people that matter most, so you can get the insights you need.

1. Post a QR code

Sending email surveys is great, but you don’t need to wait until later to engage survey takers. If you have prospects or customers in front of you, why not use a QR code to gather insights? A 2017 report noted that 34% of U.S. smartphone users and 46% of tablet owners have scanned a QR code.

QR codes have been around since 1994, but until recently, the experience using them wasn’t great. But in 2017, Apple started equipping its camera app with QR code readers. Users no longer need a separate app to scan QR codes, so their popularity has exploded, making them great for delivering your surveys.

Include QR codes on your business card or a receipt for ongoing surveys like customer satisfaction surveys, or feedback on products and purchases.

Maybe you’d like to get customers to sign up for your networking event. Just draft a planning event survey and have them scan the QR code to register. Or, deliver a survey via QR code to get their thoughts on your event or presentation.

You can add QR codes to just about anything—marketing collateral, brochures, even on screens!

2. Embed a question into an email invitation

Email collectors are a preferred method of contact because you can re-engage your customers or add their information to your CRM system. But what makes this method even more effective is when you embed a survey question into the email itself.

This can actually help you get a higher response rate—it entices survey takers to complete rest of your survey. Once they’ve completed the survey, you can respond with reminders and thank you emails.

Try using this method with a Net Promoter Score question to get a broad understanding of your customers’ experience. Home in on what you can do better throughout the rest of your survey. Once your survey takers clicks an answer option in the email, they’ll be directed to the first page of the rest of your survey.

Get event feedback by embedding “How would you rate our event?” into an email. Gauge satisfaction with customer service calls by asking “How would our rate our service?”

Integrations can help you make sense of the data you receive. For example, connect your survey results with existing customer data in a CRM like Salesforce. Better understand your prospects by integrating your market research data in marketing automations tools like Marketo and create more targeted campaigns, like those specific to where prospects are in the funnel.

3. Use a website collector

By using a website collector, visitors can take your survey without leaving your site. This is a great tactic if you’re looking to get feedback from prospects but don’t want to drive them off your website.

Want to get feedback on new messaging? Launch a survey right from your own website to find out what messaging resonates with visitors. Use a survey to test new products and ask visitors what product features they like best.

A website collector can also help you gather customer service requests—or ask customers to report bugs—right from a survey embedded on your website.

4. Conduct surveys offline—from anywhere

In a remote location without Wifi or internet access? No problem! You can still gather insights from prospects and customers with offline surveys. SurveyMonkey kiosk mode is great when you want to collect feedback from a lot of people, one survey after another. Go from completed survey to the start page—automatically.

Ask your employees about their job satisfaction during a team offsite or hack-a-thon. Take your research on a road show and ask people in public places to share feedback on your product.